Dial holding means for weighing scales



Y Aug, 3, 1948. J. G. JUHAsz DIAL HOLDING MEANS FR WEIGHING SCALES 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Jan. 13, 1945 if a@ Aug. 3, 1948. J. G. JUHASZ 2,446,332

DIAL HOLDING MEANS FOR WEIGHING SCALES Filed Jan. 13, 1945 2 sheets-sheet 2 Lfc'cmes 6. Jaa/a@ @WM www Patented Aug. 3, 1948 DIAL Homrusro.y MEANS Fon-wartime.

ALES

James G.1Juh'asz; Chicago, 111i-, assignorto org'- Erickson Corporation, Chicago;- Illz', a corporation-A Application J axillaryl 13, 1945', ISerial N'oL-Sa" The present invention relates to. weighing..

scales where the weight indicatingdevice'is to be locked in position so that the weight may. be removed from the platform andthe reading checked afterward. The invention is particularly applicable to that type of weighing'scale's wherein the platform has provision therein' for showing the weight indication which is provided' upon a dial beneath the platform. In suchV scales the dial moves past a pointer to register the weight placed on the platform. It is the purpose of this invention to provide a novel latching device which operates under the control of the foot of the person being weighed.

The invention is particularly applicable to weighing scales shown in the Green1eaf"Patent No. 2,047,681. is a traveling carriage which movesv in response to variation in weight placed` on the platform. The carriage in turn causes the dial to rotate. According to this invention I utilize the moV'ement of the carriage as a means of `operatingy -a mechanism so that a person standing on a scale can actuate a foot piece easily to latch the dial. Thereafter, when the weight is removed from the platform and the reading ofthe dial' has been checked, further actuation-off the foot'piece..

releases the dial for return topos'ition.

The natureV of my invention will appear more fully from the following ldescription and `the vac- In scales of this character thereV` companying drawingsr wherein a. preferred formv of the invention isshown. It shouldbe under-v stood, however, that the drawings and description are illustrative only and should notbe taken' as limiting the invention except insofar ,as'it'isil limited by the claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan View of a.platfom"scale""' embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged view of the scale with" the platform and indicating dial removed;

Figure 3 is a sectional View taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2, but showing the platform and indicating dial in place; and

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional' object on the platform 5. The' platform 5 is supported by a plurality of. bars 3 and 4. The

platform has portions 5a and 5b engagingitlie' bars 3 and 4 to turn them about fulcrum points l '50 pointer 8 anda dial'9 are' visible". The dial calibrated in pounds'to'showtheweightI of anv1 m and-'u Sarasin-causethe-lever arms l2 andv l3'of th'ebars and"- 4V to 'swing in the direction indicatedby the arrowsiin Figure 3;

The lever in turn causes al longitudinal shifting'ofva frame' work' I4' which is supported beneath the levers: I2 and i3.v The frame work I4 is adapted to' `movev lengthwise'and, in so doing, it actuatcs' a rack I5that-is carried on` the frame so that' the rack in 'vturn causes rotation ofY a pinion 'H5-on'vv which' the diall 9 is supported. The pinion i6 is formed ona" spindle Il that is journaled inaV cross 'bar I8" atv a' level'slightly below the dial 9"and is journaled in av second cross bar I9' at" its"l`ower end.y The cross bar l9`is welded toapanshaped-supportZ for thescale. The

support-isiprcvided with feet' 2 l-whicn desirabiymaybe' composed? of' Vrubber or ofl similar mate# rial;l

As' shown -in thel drawings',V longitudinal move-l ment ofv the frame' I4= is :opposed by' a spring construction indic'atedgenerally at 22 in the drawings, andthis'is the 'means for measuring theamount of weight that is placed on the platform'5;` However; `rnyinvention concerns 'itself primarily with"the'=means'for'latching the dial 9 against rotation; 'and 'the' details of the scale,

thereforegi'arei'of "no importance except insofar as theyapplytothemeans: by 'which I latch thedialandrelease'it.Y Nofurther detailed descrip=` tio/n'r ofthe' operation' of 'the scale 'isbelieved to benecessary;

'Ihe support '20 "hastwo" spaced frame" pieces lever 26 is shaped.J as sh'own best 'in Figure 3 to provide" a' cam" Vsurface 21' which is adapted'to cooperate'with' a bar"Y 28"that"is iixed to the framec-workf'lland adapted to move lengthwise' of "the lever'26when the frame workis moved" by.v the" application ofV weight" to the platform 5'.

Thei leve1""26"is"`a spring an'dis xedly attached4 to 'nieclip` temmen-in 4turn is fixed-tothe' member" 231' `The 'mat'erialibf which the lever 26'is made islrould be a `material which can: withstand repeatedf'exiri'g" overf'la 'long period of time." Such-a" material-as Phosphor'bronze springv `materiai is satisfactory Ata distanee'remote from the-clip 25,1' the lever 2E carries=apermanentI magnet 29' preiera:

blyof thefmaterial sold tothe'tradeunder the Permanent magnets of this The dial '9"is' of "a magnetic-'materiali'so that' ii thepermanentfmagne't 2 9? getsi'close'- enoughd to it the attraction `betwc'aen the' dial 'and' the magnet will name of Alnico. I material are ""known to f have" aV i long-y life.

pronged spring washer 32 is seated beneath thev head 33 of the release pin so as to normally hold the release pin raised to the position shown in Figure 3. The release pin is prevented from fall-` ing out by a cotter pin 34. The release-pin can` be depressed far enough to disengage the magnet 29 from the dial 9. In this fashion any one using the scale can release the dial 9 after the mounted on a movable part of said scale for enscale reading has been made.

In operation the device` functions in the following manner. to be weighed, the first act is to step upon the Aplatform and then apply the toe tothe head of the pin el until the dial 9 comes to rest.v The weight'can then be gradually released from the pin 2i and this will permit the spring lever 26 to move the magnet 29 up into contact with the dial S. The person being weighed can then step off the scale and the reading of the dial will remain, because the dial is locked in position by the magnet 29. Io return the dial 9 to zero position it is only necessary to apply weight to the pin 3|, sufficient to break the connection between the magnet 2S and the dials. It may. often occur that the individual weighing himself would not release the dial after having checked the reading. This, however, causes no difficulty because Assuming. that a persondesires the next person utilizing the scale can step upon the platform then release the dial by. applying weight Vto the pin 3l and, thereafter,y lock the dial in position by removing the weight from the pin 3l while he is still upon platform 5. The vertical movements of the Amagnet 29 are guided by a bracket that is fastened to the frame piece 23. This bracket has a platform portion which limits the downward movement of the free end of the lever 2'6. It also has an upstanding portion 36 spaced from the frame piece 23 to provide a vertical guide for the free end of the lever arm 26. YThe frame piece 23 and the bracket 35 are of non-magnetic material so that they do not nuence the permanent magnet 29.

From the foregoing description it is believed that the nature and advantages of my invention :will be clear to those skilled in this art.v Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In combination -with a scale having a housing and weight platform and a movable weight indicator, said weightv indicator including a part,

at least, of magnetic material, a magnet, a cam and lever member for moving said magnet toward and away from the magnetic material of said weight indicator, .means on a movable part of said scale for engaging the cam of said member and moving the member in a direction to bring the magnet into engagement with the magnetic material of the weight indicator when Weight is applied to said platform-whereby to.

provide a magnetic lock forA the'vie'ig'ht indicator,y and a -trip member, manually operable to separate the magnet from the magnetic material.

of the weight; indicator.

`2. In combination with a scale having a housing and weight platform and a movable weight indicator, said weight indicator including a part, at least, of magnetic material, a magnet, a lever indicator.

3. In combination with a scale having a housing and weight platform and a movable weight indicator, said weight indicator comprising a dial of magnetic material, a magnet, a lever having said magnet mounted thereon adjacent one end thereof and having a cam surface thereon, means gaging the cam surface and moving the lever in a direction to bring the magnet into engagement with the dial when weight is applied to said platform, and a trip member for releasing the magnet from the dial.

Ll. In combination with a scale having a housing and weight platform and a movable weight indicator, said weight indicator comprising a dial of magnetic material, a magnet, a lever having said magnet mounted thereon adjacent one end thereof and having a cam surface thereon, means mounted on a movable part of said scale for engaging the cam surface and moving the lever in a direction to bring the magnet into engagement with the dial when weight is applied to said platform, and a trip member for releasing the magnet from the dial, said lever comprising a spring, one end of which is fixed to a stationary part of said scale.

5. In combination with a scale having a housing and weight platform and a movable weight indicator, said weight indicato-r including a part, at least, of magnetic material, a magnet, means, including a spring, movably mounted on a fixed partlof said scale and supporting said magnet for movement into engagement with and away fromthe part of magnetic material of said weight indicator in a direction transverse to the plane of movement of the weight indicator, whereby to hold the weight indicator stationary when REFERENCES oigan The following references are of record in file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS the Number Name Y Date 2,258,081 d Weckerly` Oct. 7, 1941 2,326,355v Kircher Aug. 10, 1943 2,354,390 Lewy July 25, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number` l Country DateV 289,252 Great Britainv Apr. 26, 1928 

